Elections in five States are around the corner and the anti BJP political front along with their agents is facing a serious dearth of issues to take on the BJP. Thus, it is not a surprise that these elements have once again manufactured controversies to malign the BJP. Last week or so thus was full of political comments and reactions ranging from the Ramjas fiasco to the Gurmehar row and the apt replies by certain Sportsperson and other eminent personalities.
The so called liberals as always have acted as open hypocrites asserting their right to free speech to the extent of sedition while labeling anyone opposing them as Bhakts and trolls.
We have somehow become accustomed to this procedure but the way the Congress owned poet cum politician crossed all limits yesterday and insulted the Olympics bronze medalist Yogeshwar Dutt on the premise of the wrestler’s humble background indirectly calling him ‘a hardly literate player or a wrestler troll’ is not only an indicator of the pseudo liberals’ double standards but also an unacceptable and intolerable attack on the Constitutional and social ethos of our Nation.
Here is an open letter to the self acclaimed intellectual, Javed Akhtar advising him not to encroach upon the right of free speech of those not belonging to the elite Lutyens’ club.
In the course of this article we are going to make a comparison between the poet and the wrestler followed by a description of why the remarks made by Javed Akhtar have actually set a wrong precedent by qualifying the right to free speech to the capricious and arbitrary tests laid down by the elitists like Javed Akhtar.
A comparison between the two
While making this comparison I actually feel sorry for being compelled to do so. What you have done is that you have made it unnecessarily personal with an eminent sportsperson and now you must be shown the mirror. Your comments are suggestive of arrogance stemming out of supposedly being an important part of the society primarily due to your extraordinary intellect. But let me make one thing pretty clear that your contribution is negligible when compared to someone like Yogeshwar Dutt. Just because Yogeshwar Dutt does not belong to the fake intelligensia or does not have substantial contacts in the political corridors of Delhi or cannot afford to secure a Rajya Sabha seat for himself unlike you does not make him any less a hero. He won a medal at the Mecca of multi spots events apart from representing and bringing accolades for India on several other platforms. On the other hand, your poems and contribution in excessively regressive film industry cannot be said to be a matter of pride for this Nation by any stretch of imagination. Its unfortunate and heart wrenching that people like you are still in the colonial hangover and whenever challenged in terms of social status by a person who has rose out of a humble background you feel the need of looking down upon him and invoking self prescribed qualifications for judging a person.
Open Attack on Free Speech and equality
Your comments are highly objectionable in the sense that they attack the ideals of free speech and equality which as you and your tribe claim is already in danger under the present regime. Maybe you are not interested in safeguarding the right to free speech for the masses. You do not abide by the principles of freedom and personal liberty but you and people like you are hell bent on ensuring that an exclusive set of political, media and student organisations have total monopoly of saying whatever they think fit in the veil of free speech and if one fails to qualify the tests, whether related to status or ideology will be subjected to public harassment or embarrassment.
It is shameful that you being a former Rajya Sabha member have either forgotten or blatantly ignored the Constitutional ethos of this Nation. For your knowledge the Constitution of India does not place any restrictions or qualifications whether educational or social as far as the right to free speech and dissent is concerned. In fact, the principles of equality and elimination of discrimination of the kind that you manifested yesterday is the lifeblood of the Constitution of India. Make no mistake, if you think that only a few ‘educated’ individuals have a right to speak freely in this Nation then you must stop considering yourself educated with immediate effect.
Conclusion: Your remark is a reflector of unfortunate prejudices and political frustrations that are harboured by the informal Modi hate club that deserves to be condemned in strong words. You have set a dangerous precedent by trying to restrict the scope of personal liberty to the elites. Being an ordinary citizen of India, I advice, in fact, warn you not to repeat such actions or words for any attack on the country’s social democracy won’t be tolerated. And it’s good that you have apologized but the tone was not apologetic, it was more like since Sehwag has clarified, let me clarify too.